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A. The Messianic Kingdom is Everlasting.
Not
just 10 centuries, as millennialists hold
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
The Messianic Age Never Ends -- "world without end." Of the baby Jesus it was foretold:
Luke 1
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
This reign began 2,000 years ago. And it has only just begun.
This is not an easy concept. It raises a few thorny questions.
Here is a criticism of the position we advocate: "Heretical Preterism"
It does not bode well for an article that is highly critical of a position when that article does not fairly state the position it is attacking, nor anticipates the obvious rebuttals that will be offered by that position. None of the verses above are considered in that article. Nor are these:
Micah 4:5
Though all people walk each in the name of his god,
We will walk in the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever.Micah 4:7
I will make the lame a remnant,
And the outcast a strong nation;
So the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion
From now on, even forever.Daniel 7:14
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.Daniel 7:27
Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
The article above creates more problems than it solves.
In reply, it might be said that the "everlasting" kingdom will not begin until the Second Coming. Which is another way of saying that Jesus is not the reigning Messiah right now. Which falls under the condemnation of 1 John 2:2. So while our position might be called "heretical," the opposing position might be called "antichrist."
There is nothing in the Bible that says that Jesus cannot make His people perfect. This perspective is pejoratively labeled "perfectionism." But again, there is no verse against this idea.
Throughout church history, it is frequently the case that "heretics" are persecuted because they want to raise moral standards in the church today, not because they want to lower them.
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